UNC Football: Tar Heels land in top-6 for South Carolina’s No. 1 DT

ANNAPOLIS, MD - DECEMBER 27: Head Coach Mack Brown of the North Carolina Tar Heels celebrates a touchdown during the game against the Temple Owls in the Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on December 27, 2019 in Annapolis, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)

UNC football program named among six finalists for South Carolina’s top defensive tackle

Mack Brown and the North Carolina Tar Heels continue to be one of college football’s hottest programs on the recruiting trail this spring. A team that won just five games in two combined seasons prior to the return of Brown in 2019, the Tar Heels currently have the nation’s No. 3-ranked recruiting class behind only Ohio State and Tennessee.

That momentum hasn’t slowed down any during the NCAA’s recruiting dead period caused by the worldwide coronavirus pandemic. In fact, the Tar Heels have gotten several big commitments over the past couple of months, and they remain in contention for a number of other big-time players in the class of 2021.

One of those is Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, a 6-foot-6, 300-pound defensive lineman from Gaffney, South Carolina. On Monday, Ingram-Dawkins named North Carolina among a list of six finalists that includes Florida State, Georgia, Penn State, South Carolina and Tennessee. In doing so, he eliminated nearly 20 other programs including Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas A&M and Virginia Tech.

A soon-to-be senior at Gaffney High School, Ingram-Dawkins is ranked No. 403 overall according to the 247Sports Composite for 2021. He’s 22nd among defensive tackles, and second in the state of North Carolina, equating to an aggregate 3-star ranking across all recruiting outlets. The Top247, however, has Ingram-Dawkins ranked as a 4-star prospect, No. 17 at his position and first in the state of South Carolina.

Ingram-Dawkins boasts a large frame with long arms and big hands. He’s an above average athlete, particularly for his size and position. He’s got good speed, and an explosive burst. He’s got good moves and quickness that he uses against the run, and as an interior pass rusher. With continued growth both in his skill and physical conditioning, Ingram-Dawkins projects to be a terrific college football player with the upside of a future NFL lineman.

A final decision for Ingram-Dawkins was initially set for Sunday, but he decided to put it off in order to consider his options just a little bit longer. Stick with Keeping It Heel for all the latest on his recruitment, as well as everything UNC football.